Search for eccentric black hole coalescences during the third observing run of LIGO and Virgo

Despite the growing number of confident binary black hole coalescences observed through gravitational waves so far, the astrophysical origin of these binaries remains uncertain. Orbital eccentricity is one of the clearest tracers of binary formation channels. Identifying binary eccentricity, however, remains challenging due to the limited availability of gravitational waveforms that include effects of eccentricity. Here, we present observational results for a waveform-independent search sensitive to eccentric black hole coalescences, covering the third observing run (O3) of the LIGO and Virgo detectors. We identified no new high-significance candidates beyond those that were already identified with searches focusing on quasi-circular binaries. We determine the sensitivity of our search to high-mass (total mass M>70 M⊙) binaries covering eccentricities up to 0.3 at 15 Hz orbital frequency, and use this to compare model predictions to search results. Assuming all detections are indeed quasi-circular, for our fiducial population model, we place an upper limit for the merger rate density of high-mass binaries with eccentricities 0<e≤0.3 at 0.33 Gpc−3 yr−1 at 90\% confidence level

Ultralight vector dark matter search using data from the KAGRA O3GK run

Among the various candidates for dark matter (DM), ultralight vector DM can be probed by laser interferometric gravitational wave detectors through the measurement of oscillating length changes in the arm cavities. In this context, KAGRA has a unique feature due to differing compositions of its mirrors, enhancing the signal of vector DM in the length change in the auxiliary channels. Here we present the result of a search for U(1)B−L gauge boson DM using the KAGRA data from auxiliary length channels during the first joint observation run together with GEO600. By applying our search pipeline, which takes into account the stochastic nature of ultralight DM, upper bounds on the coupling strength between the U(1)B−L gauge boson and ordinary matter are obtained for a range of DM masses. While our constraints are less stringent than those derived from previous experiments, this study demonstrates the applicability of our method to the lower-mass vector DM search, which is made difficult in this measurement by the short observation time compared to the auto-correlation time scale of DM

Clinical trial of lamivudine in children with chronic hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND: Lamivudine therapy is effective for chronic hepatitis B infection in adults. We evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of lamivudine as a treatment for chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) in children. METHODS: Children with chronic hepatitis B were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive either oral lamivudine (3 mg per kilogram of body weight; maximum, 100 mg) or placebo once daily for 52 weeks. The primary end point was virologic response (defined by the absence of serum hepatitis B e antigen and serum HBV DNA) at week 52 of treatment. RESULTS: Of the 403 children screened, 191 were randomly assigned to receive lamivudine and 97 to receive placebo. The rate of virologic response at week 52 was higher among children who received lamivudine than among those who received placebo (23 percent vs. 13 percent, P=0.04). Lamivudine therapy was well tolerated and was also associated with higher rates of seroconversion from hepatitis B e antigen to hepatitis B e antibody, normalization of alanine aminotransferase levels, and suppression of HBV DNA. CONCLUSIONS: In children with chronic hepatitis B, 52 weeks of treatment with lamivudine was associated with a significantly higher rate of virologic response than was placebo

Improving ATLS performance in simulated pediatric trauma resuscitation using a checklist

OBJECTIVE:: To develop a checklist for use during pediatric trauma resuscitation and test its effectiveness during simulated resuscitations. BACKGROUND:: Checklists have been used to support a wide range of complex medical activities and have effectively reduced errors and improved outcomes in different medical settings. Checklists have not been evaluated in the domain of trauma resuscitation. METHODS:: A focus group of trauma specialists was organized to develop a checklist for pediatric trauma resuscitation. This checklist was then tested in simulated trauma resuscitations to evaluate its impact on team performance. Resuscitations conducted with and without the checklist were compared using the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) performance score, designed to measure adherence to ATLS protocol, and surveys of team membersÊ subjective workload. RESULTS:: The focus group generated a checklist with 56 items divided into 5 sections corresponding to different phases of trauma resuscitation. In simulation testing, the total ATLS performance score was 4.9 points higher with a checklist than without (P \u3c 0.001), with most of this difference related to improvement in performance of the secondary survey (+3.3 points, P \u3c 0.001). Overall, workload scores were not affected by the addition of the checklist. CONCLUSIONS:: Implementing a checklist during simulated pediatric trauma resuscitation improves adherence to the ATLS protocol without increasing the workload of trauma team members. © 2013 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Improving ATLS performance in simulated pediatric trauma resuscitation using a checklist

OBJECTIVE:: To develop a checklist for use during pediatric trauma resuscitation and test its effectiveness during simulated resuscitations. BACKGROUND:: Checklists have been used to support a wide range of complex medical activities and have effectively reduced errors and improved outcomes in different medical settings. Checklists have not been evaluated in the domain of trauma resuscitation. METHODS:: A focus group of trauma specialists was organized to develop a checklist for pediatric trauma resuscitation. This checklist was then tested in simulated trauma resuscitations to evaluate its impact on team performance. Resuscitations conducted with and without the checklist were compared using the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) performance score, designed to measure adherence to ATLS protocol, and surveys of team membersÊ subjective workload. RESULTS:: The focus group generated a checklist with 56 items divided into 5 sections corresponding to different phases of trauma resuscitation. In simulation testing, the total ATLS performance score was 4.9 points higher with a checklist than without (P \u3c 0.001), with most of this difference related to improvement in performance of the secondary survey (+3.3 points, P \u3c 0.001). Overall, workload scores were not affected by the addition of the checklist. CONCLUSIONS:: Implementing a checklist during simulated pediatric trauma resuscitation improves adherence to the ATLS protocol without increasing the workload of trauma team members. © 2013 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Alignment of parent- and child-reported outcomes and histology in eosinophilic esophagitis across multiple CEGIR sites.

BACKGROUND:Patient-reported outcome metrics for eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) have been developed and validated but not used in a multicenter pediatric population or systematically aligned with histology. OBJECTIVE:We sought to understand (1) the potential of caregiver report to predict patient self-reported symptoms and (2) the correlation of patient-reported outcome domains with histology. METHODS:Patients with EoE (n = 310) and their parents participating in the Consortium of Gastrointestinal Eosinophilic Disease Researchers (CEGIR) observational clinical trial were queried for baseline patient symptoms and quality of life (QOL) by using the Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis Symptom Score, version 2 (PEESSv2.0), and the Pediatric QOL EoE module (PedsQL-EoE), and biopsy specimens were analyzed by using the EoE Histology Scoring System. RESULTS:PEESSv2.0 parental and child reports aligned across all domains (r = 0.68-0.73, P < .001). PedsQL-EoE reports correlated between parents and children across ages and multiple domains (r = 0.48-0.79, P < .001). There was a tight correlation between symptoms on PEESSv2.0 and their effects on QOL both on self-report and parental report (P < .001). Self-reported symptoms on PEESSv2.0 (positively) and PedsQL-EoE (inversely) showed a weak correlation with proximal, but not distal, peak eosinophil counts and features and architectural tissue changes on the EoE Histology Scoring System (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS:Parents of children with EoE aged 3 to 18 years accurately reflected their children's disease symptoms and QOL. Self- and parent-reported symptoms correlate with proximal esophageal histology. Our data suggest that parental report in young children can function as an adequate marker for self-reported symptoms and that self-reported symptoms can reflect changes in tissue histology in the proximal esophagus. These findings should be considered during clinical trials for drug development